


Neverland's Forgotten Royalty

by ravtemis1121



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV), Peter Pan - J. M. Barrie
Genre: Abusive Relationships, Angst, Character Death, F/F, F/M, Family Drama, Female Friendship, Healing, Healthy Relationships, Heartbreak, Implied/Referenced Cheating, Love, Manipulation, Neverland (Once Upon a Time), Neverland (Peter Pan), Pain, Trauma
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-08
Updated: 2021-03-09
Packaged: 2021-03-09 03:40:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 8
Words: 12,265
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27458131
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ravtemis1121/pseuds/ravtemis1121
Summary: a/n : Peter Pan isn't Malcom in this story.This is my own take on how the Neverland story tied into Once Upon A Time with two of my own characters. (BEING REWRITTEN)
Relationships: James Hook/Peter Pan, Peter Pan (Peter Pan) & Original Female Character(s), Wendy Darling & Peter Pan (Peter Pan)
Kudos: 5





	1. The Beginning PT 1

**Author's Note:**

> I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING PETER PAN RELATED, ONLY OCs AND THE STORY! enjoy the story! :) ~ Ravtemis1121

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING PETER PAN RELATED, ONLY OCs AND THE STORY! enjoy the story! :) ~ Ravtemis1121

The only thing Artemis knew when she first arrived on the shore of Neverland was that she was an immortal girl with magical abilities and no recollection of her memories. Nevertheless, Peter Pan and the Lost Boys decided to give her a home. For her name, she came up with Artemis because to her it mostly meant mother but also a friend. 

She misses that time when she first arrived and was just getting used to everyone and the island. The few times when Artemis was sprinting. For her life. The huge leaves of the Dark Jungle slapping her in the face each time she passes by. Panting, as she began to lose oxygen. Her muscles aching. They were coming for her, Peter Pan and The Lost Boys. Artemis abruptly stopped when she didn’t come across any more jungle. At the edge of the cliff overlooking the sea, she debated on my two choices. Choice One: Artemis could just stay on this cliff and wait for them to catch up and capture her. Or Choice Two: Artemis could jump off the edge and reveal that she has stolen pixie dust. 

Artemis took a deep breath. Technically, Peter didn’t say she couldn’t use it in the game. Artemis quickly removed the vial from around my neck and shook out some pixie dust. Making sure to get a headstart, she took a few steps back then ran and jumped. The teenage girl’s heart pounded in her ears as she fell. Then, she caught herself and started to fly. Now, she just needed to reach the beach. Gritting her teeth, Artemis controlled herself in the air and found her way to the beach. When her feet touched the sand, Artemis almost cried tears of joy. 

“You cheated,” she hears from behind her causing her to jump and turn around. 

Looking around with wary eyes at Peter and the Lost Boys, she says, “I stopped running. Besides, you didn’t say that I couldn’t use pixie dust to reach my destination before you caught me.”  
“That’s because I didn’t know you had it,” the leader of the Lost Boys tells her.

“Well, this proves you aren’t good at hiding things from me. Just admit it, I learned from the best and I deserve congratulations for outsmarting you all twice. I win. What’s my prize?” Artemis responds while smirking at him.

A beat of silence passes between them.

“Very cunning, little wolf.” He smirked back at her. He then throws an arm over her shoulder, leading them all back to camp. “Congratulations.” 

“Dance with me.” Peter offered Artemis his hand after he abruptly stopped playing from his flute.

Artemis’s lips parted at his request yet the words were stuck in her throat. She glimpsed from the flute in his hand to his forest green eyes boring into her brown ones. “We can’t dance with no music.”

The teenage boy before me gave me a boyish smile and waved his hand, making his flute play by itself. “Problem solved.”

A low chuckle falls from her lips as she gently takes his hand. He spins her around and pulls her close to him. “I had doubts about you, Artemis. That you would make it this far,” he tells Artemis softly.

“Is that so?”

“Yes, but I was wrong.”

Artemis smiles teasingly at him. “Oh? Peter Pan is admitting he’s wrong?”

He pulls the Lost Girl closer and digs his head into her shoulder. “Only for you, little wolf.”

The two of them continue to dance around the bonfire, celebrating Artemis’s victory as the Lost Boys continue to doze. Then, Peter lifted his head and they stopped dancing. He leaned in close. “Arty,...when I’m with you, I feel the happiest of thoughts. I - ”

His words squeezed her heart and Artemis pressed a finger to his lips. “I know. I feel the same.” She kissed him sweetly, letting her lips press against his. Peter moved his lips against hers and pulled her closer. His arms wrapped around the Lost Girl as he tried to feel, touch, grip onto every detail of her. She desperately wanted to keep kissing him though she pulled away, and immediately, Peter opened his mouth to say something. Artemis smiled, holding his cheeks, and beat him to it. “We should get some sleep, Peter. It’s been a long day.”

His fingers lightly touched her waist before caressing her hips, back, and shoulders. He brushed his fingers across her brown cheeks and nodded. “Alright.”

When the Lost Girl woke up alone, she knew what had transpired. Captain Hook and his pirate crew seem to think they run the island and even she’s had enough. They don’t listen well to warnings and taking Peter and the Lost Boys was the last straw. 

“The famous Lost Girl finally comes out of hiding,” announces Hook in a way too joyful tone when she lands on his ship.

“Let them go,” she declared, referring to the Lost Boys and their leader tied to posts, beaten and bruised. She unsheathed her double-edged swords.

The captain wiggles his index finger at her as if he was scolding a small child. “I don’t think so, Lost Girl.”

A horde of pirates charged at Artemis with their swords. She clashed swords with every single one of them. They kept clashing and clashing. So much, it was like Neverland shook from the Lost Girl fighting them. In the end, Captain Hook was left standing as his crew was lying on the deck before Artemis on the Jolly Roger. She leaped at him but he managed to slice her arm open with his hook. She groans and charges at him again. This time, she aimed for one of his ankles, which she managed to cut open through his boot. Screaming in pain, Captain Hook manages to keep standing and fight her. The Lost Girl growls in annoyance. 

Distracted by her annoyance with the captain, she didn’t realize when he got her in a chokehold. He tightened his hold around her neck and she grunted, trying to breath. Artemis’s vision became blurred and her swords dropped from her hands. 

Remain calm, she thinks. In doing so, she flipped out of his embrace and landed on her feet behind him. 

Hook swiftly turned and punched her vigorously in the stomach. The blow sent her flying and she used her swords to catch her fall. Trying to catch her breath, she coughed out blood. Then, he landed another punch to her jaw, and even more, blood spilled from her lips. She kicked out at his legs and knocked him down. Using her magic, Artemis grabbed him by the neck and sent him crashing down onto the deck. She smiled satisfied when I heard him break from the impact but that didn’t stop him. They continued to fight some more. Both taking ragged breaths with cuts lining their bodies from one other’s offenses. Yet, she could tell that Captain Hook was growing weaker with each swing of his hook and sword. 

With that knowledge, Artemis used it to her advantage.

When he could barely stand anymore, she plunged her hand deep into his chest where his beating heart remained. “Unlike Pan and the boys, I won’t go easy on you. This is for my family. This is your last warning.” 

As she squeezed his beating heart and his blood started to drip from her fingers, Hook pleaded with her to stop. “I’m sorry! I’m sorry! Please, stop!”

She looked at him with a nefarious smile and waved her other hand, letting her family free. The Lost Boys run towards her with Peter right behind them. Artemis dropped Captain Hook and he instantly curled himself into a ball. 

The breath is knocked out of them with the force that Peter and Artemis collide. Hands gripped each other’s back as they held one another tightly. She pulls away and their foreheads press together. Then, the leader of the Lost Boys sighs in relief and drops his forehead onto her shoulder. “I never knew you were a Queen, little wolf.” 

Lost Girl became a former title of Artemis’s after that day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> leave a kudos/comment if you enjoyed the story. ~ Ravtemis1121


	2. The Beginning PT 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING PETER PAN RELATED, ONLY OCs, AND THE STORY! enjoy the story! :) ~ Ravtemis1121  
> Also, I do feel the need to put a trigger warning on this chapter because there is a sexual assault scene towards the middle. With that, carry on.

Artemis wasn’t only the Queen of Neverland. As more Lost Boys began to arrive by Pan’s shadow since Pan’s their leader and Artemis is the only girl on the island, they all looked to Pan and Artemis as their father and mother or sister. 

Pan once told Artemis that ruling Neverland by his side would be delightful. However, Artemis is no longer happy. She wished her memories returned because then she would have something to go back to before Neverland. Before Peter Pan. She’s growing tired of him. She’s tired of it all - the fighting, the fucking, the loathing, the melancholy, the lack of communication, etc. It only gets worse when involving the Lost Boys. 

Take now, for instance, the Queen of Neverland stood protectively in front of Rufio. Shielding him from another slash from the King of Neverland’s sword. 

“Training is over. Boys leave, now,” Artemis orders the other Lost Boys while never taking her eyes off Pan’s. 

He watches the Lost Boys disband before meeting her eyes again and tipping his head to the side. He purses his lips as well right before saying, “Artemis, he was being disrespectful.”

Stepping up to him, the queen frowned and cocked an eyebrow. “So as a form of discipline, you responded with violence instead of ignoring his provoking? A trait he developed from you, I might add.”

“He deserved it.”

She strikes him so hard in the face that he fell over in the dirt. Maybe, hard enough to leave a bruising too. She doesn’t spend much time thinking about it as she turned to face Rufio. He was still holding his injured face with Tinker Bell’s help. She smiled thankfully at her and asked her to help her take Rufio to the resting tent to be treated. 

After Tink walked out and the flap of the tent shut behind her, Artemis took a seat next to Rufio on the bed. When he saw his mother’s disappointment, he frowned then winced because of his injury. “I’m sorry, Artemis.”

She breathed heavily through her nose. “I know. Nevertheless, you should not have provoked him with whatever it was in training - you know he can’t control his temper.”

“That’s not my fault!”

“Watch who you’re speaking to!” Artemis shouted back at him. She watched as the fear flashed in her son’s eyes and immediately recoiled. She grabbed his unoccupied, shaking hand. “I’m sorry. You’re right, it’s not your fault. That’s a flaw that he needs to overcome,...I-I just want you and your brothers to be safe so please all I am asking is for you all to keep your heads down. Because today was your only warning from him. Next time, it’ll be his shadow - your father doesn’t play fair.” An ache began deep in her chest. Artemis blinked away the tears streaming from her eyes but continued. “Moreover, it makes your father more powerful than me which means I wouldn’t be able to do anything if any of you were to perish from his command. Do you understand?”

He nodded. “Yes, Arty.”

Shortly after stopping the bleeding and mending his skin back together, Rufio fell asleep. Feeling Pan’s presence from outside the tent, Artemis leaned down and kissed Rufio on the forehead goodnight before joining Rufio’s father outside. They headed to their cottage in silence. The only noise coming from the jungle surrounding them. Pan’s jungle. His this, his that. 

“You left him with a scar,” she whispered.

He pointed at his cheek and spat, “As did you with me.” 

“It’s a bruise. It’ll heal. Rufio’s won’t ever completely heal and disappear.”

“Shame on you, Artemis. Worried it’ll ruin his pretty little face?”

“That isn’t anywhere near the point. My point is that you gave him the scar. You’re supposed to be his father, not his abuser. From now on, I will decide how the Lost Boys will be disciplined.” 

Artemis will become a safety net for them.

“And you need to apologize,” she continued.

He smirked in response. “Sorry.” 

She rolled her eyes. “Not to me. I shouldn’t be demanding you to apologize to one of our Lost Boys. He is our child, correct? You wanted to play house but you don’t want to grow up unless it requires shoving your penis inside me!”

Artemis saw the raging flash in his eyes before he grabbed her neck and had her backed up against a tree. “I fucking hate you!” 

The Queen of Neverland was too determined to be scared though. “I hate you too. ..say you’re sorry to Rufio,” she managed between her lips. 

His expression softened and he released the hold he had on her neck. She watched him as he grabbed a bloomed pixie flower from above them. Tenderly, he placed the pink, ruby-colored flower in her dark braids and proclaimed, “I will. I promise...I am sorry though. To you, too. I forget how much you don’t like when I discipline the Lost Boys while training. I’m truly sorry, Artemis.”

She nodded and stepped around him. “Don’t make promises you can’t keep.”

He caught her hand. “Wait,...you won’t forgive me?”

“...No”

“Why not?”

“Why do you care if I forgive you or not?” Artemis yanked her hand from his. 

Green eyes met brown ones and he took a step towards her. “Because as much as we fight and fuck, I care about you and what you think of me. So, tell me what I can do...” Another step. “...to make you...” And another. “...forgive me.” He knelt in front of me on the ground. “Please.”

Artemis couldn’t help but lean forward as he reached up and caressed her cheek. Then, when he ran his thumb over her bottom lip, she followed suit and allowed him to cage her body onto the ground. “Please,” he said once again.

“Fine, pleasure me. Then, I’ll consider forgiving you,” she cooed in his ear causing her husband to whine, quick to remove their clothes with his magic. They both rushed forward, their lips meeting roughly. While his arms caged Artemis’s head, her hands, and legs wrapped around his waist. He flipped them over and their tongues continued to twirl around each other. “Open,” she mumbled against the king’s lips. When he obeyed and let her suck on his tongue, Artemis relished in the moans that came from his mouth from her teasing. Before she could move to nibble on his jawline, he stopped her. “No, Arty. I’m supposed to be pleasing you, remember?” 

Artemis didn’t even respond - after pulling her onto his lap, she just let him place open-mouthed kisses down her neck. She pulled at his hair and cried out when he nipped at his favorite spot below her ear. Then, he moved to her breasts. He took turns encasing both of her nipples between his perfect lips and massaging them. With every caress and touch he gave, her pussy clenched around nothing. She was throbbing and she knew she’d be dripping wet soon, which will for sure form a wicked smirk on his face. The sensation he delivered caused her to relentlessly moan.  
“Spit,” he commanded. Artemis complied, watching as her spit slowly fell to rest on his tongue. He made her desperately watch as he dipped his fingers in the mix of their saliva and sucked. Finally, he removed them and circled her wet, velvety folds. She moaned at the pleasure he never failed in granting her. And once he inserted those long and powerful digits inside her warm pussy, she held on tight to his shoulders. He thrust his digits deep inside her and hit the right spot repeatedly. Artemis rode them shamelessly. 

“Mmm. I want you to cum for me,” Pan said amusingly. Artemis whined at his words and did as she was told for once.

The second she came, Pan flipped them around, slamming Artemis’s back onto the ground again. He didn’t waste any time before gripping her hips and thrusting himself in completely. She screamed his name so loudly not caring since they had a noise-canceling barrier surrounding them. He dug his nails into her hips, leaving angry crescent-shaped scars on them. The way he was moaning in such desperation and pleasure in her ear made Artimes’s pussy throb even more for him. It’s the finishing touch to make the knot in her stomach finally break, causing stars to erupt in her eyes. She places small bites along his shoulder and angry claw-like scratches along his back when she screams out a moan and meets his thrusts to ride out her high. Yet, her husband wasn’t allowed to come.

They both breathe heavily as he holds Artemis in front of him. “Ready?” he asks, craving to finally release himself. His wife eagerly nods in response.

He began to forcefully pound into her again from behind. “Are you happy here with me?”

“Of course, Peter,” she lied, mumbling. “Ah!” she moaned. It’s too much. She’s already orgasmed twice. She clenched one of his thighs and the arm circling her chest tighter in her fingers as she felt herself getting closer. She was a whimpering mess.

“Do you forgive me?” The moment the pad of his thumb touched her clit, she came - no, squirted - for him. Her cunt clenching tightly around his dick hoping he’d follow suit.

“Yes! Gods, yes!” 

“That’s it, little wolf, so pretty when you orgasm. I am so close, shit, I want to come inside you so bad.”

“Ask nicely,” She answered once she came down from her high, her voice still a bit shaky.

“Please…”

“Please what?”

“Please let me come.”

“Hmm, I’m not sure you asked nicely enough,” Artemis said and wiggled her hips backward, listening to his desperate sounds due to her little movement.

“Oh, come on,” he groaned.

“Well now you won’t get anything,” She made to move away from him but he wouldn’t let her go. He makes to move inside me again & I immediately pushed him away from me. “Stop,” I tell him. But he doesn’t obey me. Instead, he roughly grabs my face and kisses me. He tries to force his tongue down my throat as if this act of kissing is some form of apology for what just happened. Like he’s trying to erase what he could have possibly done to me from my memory. In aggravation, I shove him off of me. He can only stare as my tears fall short and silently. Leaving a crushed pixie flower, my clothes, and my husband, I transported alone to our cottage. I emerged on our bed and without hesitation, clutched the blanket close to my chest as I rolled away from his side of the bed. Tired, I closed my eyes.

~*~*~  
After the duration of Artemis and Pan’s relationship, it seems that they only communicated regarding Neverland’s protection and political matters. Which, only formed because they’ve drifted apart - they’re too different. Peter is mischievous, manipulative, selfish, and immature whereas Artemis is calm, calculated, wise, and considerate - they are opposites that do not attract anymore. 

Once upon a time, Pan’s eyes were forest green, close to emerald and teal and deep. Now they’re paler. They are cold and steady as a byproduct of his fear of growing up. It’s hard not to wonder what he’s thinking about whenever he looks at Artemis, especially since he’s become harder to read over time.

However, things got better for Artemis when the Darling siblings arrived by Pan’s shadow. She and Wendy became friends right away. Like Artemis, she’s really good with the boys, adventurous, kind, and a great storyteller. Artemis is grateful she’s here. She thinks she needs a friend that is, unlike Tink and Tiger Lily, strictly cute and sweet. 

“Do you miss your parents?” The Queen of Neverland asked the curly-haired blonde as they walked along the beach. Artemis and her friends took the Lost Boys to the beach for some relaxation while Pan was off at Skull Rock discussing matters with his shadow.

“Sometimes...not enough to return though. I love it so much here! I’d never want to leave such a splendid place!”

The queen smiles softly at the girl. “We cherish your storytelling skills. I don’t know how the Lost Boys would function without you.”

Wendy stops in her tracks, making Tiger Lily jump into a defensive stance. Since Wendy was still new to Neverland, Tiger Lily didn’t trust her and made it her duty to stay close to the queen and the Darling Girl when they were alone together. Even though, Artemis could take care of herself. 

Artemis quickly gives Tiger Lily a look. “Are you mad? The Lost Boys are still alive because of you,” Wendy says.

“....You’ve noticed?” Artemis readjusted the hood of her turquoise cloak.   
“We all have,” Tiger Lily interjects and Wendy agrees. 

Artemis pauses before continuing. “He...he says he’s sorry for the mistakes he has made regarding me and the Lost Boys all the time.”

“My father would say the same thing to my mother back in London.”

Artemis stares at the girl beside her in shock. “I-I don’t know what to do. All Pan and I do is tear each other down. And all I have left are my children.”

Wendy Darling smiles. “That’s it. You keep pushing forward for your children and it’ll get better. I promise.”

Artemis wipes her tears and locks eyes with Skull Rock, wondering if Pan is watching them. She furrows her eyebrows and lifts her hood over her head before hearing a splash beside her. Artemis and her friends stop walking and peer at the sea as a siren swims close enough to them on a gigantic rock nearby. 

“Greetings, Your Majesty,” the red-haired siren says. Athena. She leads the sirens of Neverland who are all beautiful, conniving, and dangerous sea creatures. They will do anything to protect their home. Entrancing their prey through a song before dragging them to the depths of the sea to devour them, they must defend Neverland against uninvited guests such as sailors and pirates alike. as they attempt to capture a live mermaid to harvest the mermaid's tear demanded by the Fountain of Youth ritual.

“You’ve brought me something?” The Queen of Neverland asks Athena. 

The siren nods. “Pan’s set a plan in motion. He needs to find the truest believer.”

“What’s the - ?”

“Arty!”

Artemis turns at the sound of her name to the destination of the Lost Boys and watched as Tootles and the twins run towards her. Athena hurriedly leaves, splashing into the water. The trio of boys crash into their mother’s legs and Artemis brushes her gloved fingers through their hair. “What’s wrong? What’s happened, my loves?” 

The twins are too busy sobbing into her cloak to answer her so Tootles hands her a sheet of paper to read. “Rufio and Felix are fighting. It’s bad.”

When Artemis arrived in front of her two eldest sons, they were still fighting each other. She used her magic to break them apart and their eyes widened as they stared up at her from the sand. Both of them were covered from head to toe in cuts, bruises, and sand from rolling in it. The queen just took a deep breath while shaking her head at them. 

Rufio pointed at Felix as Felix did the same to him. “Felix - !” “Rufio - !” 

“I didn’t say either of you could speak. I don’t give a damn who started the fight.” The Queen of Neverland chuckled humorlessly and darkly. “I have had it up to here.” She raised her hand and laid it flat in distribution. “And all I asked for was a peaceful day of relaxation while your father was away from us - not just for me, for all of us. And we couldn’t even do that...You know what, we’re done for the day. He’ll be back soon.”

“I’m sorry, Arty,” Felix and Rufio replied simultaneously. 

“Maybe we can try again,” Wendy chimes in.

The Queen of Neverland shares a look with Tiger Lily and Tink who is sitting on her shoulder before finally setting her brown eyes on Wendy. “Here on Neverland, it would be best if you weren’t so naive. You are an outsider and naivety will kill you.”

They never had another beach day after that. And more days turned into weeks into months and many bonds and relationships were broken from more broken promises.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> leave a kudos/comment if you enjoyed the story. ~ Ravtemis1121


	3. He's Back!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING PETER PAN RELATED, ONLY OCs, AND THE STORY! enjoy the story! :) ~ Ravtemis1121

The queen and her wolves circle a boy, observing his soiled state and attire until she stands in front of him again. Her hands fall from his shoulders. “On your knees,” she demands.

The boy looks down after doing what she said so she hooks a finger under his chin and lifts his head to look at her. “No, never takes your eyes off me.” 

Never underestimate the queen.

“And don’t look at me with such hostility. I’m not making you a slave. But, I am offering you a choice. One that I hope you’ll choose wisely. Either you can die out there alone or be free as one of my boys.” She list his options off on her fingers. The boy, Baelfire is his name, holds up two fingers, picking the second option.

“Good.” She unties the ropes around his wrists and ankles with a wave of her hand and continues, “My second-in-command will get you the appropriate supplies for you to bathe and dress in, something to eat, and show you where you’ll be staying.”

There are already two boys standing thereafter the words leave my mouth. The Queen of Neverland nods at one of them - Rufio, her eldest and second in command - and he nods back, taking the boy and wolves with him as he leaves. 

She doesn’t acknowledge the other one as she turns away from the clearing of the campsite. “Hey,” he calls out to her, grabbing her hand to turn her around to face him. But she still ignores him, glaring at a plant growing in the dirt. Pan runs a thumb over the knuckles of her hand. “Talk to me, little wolf. Please.” 

Without sparing him a glance, she says, “This is the first time I’ve seen you all day.” She wretches her hand from his grasp and transfers herself to their cottage. He follows and she retires to their bed. More so, her bed. A bed that once held their intimate and romantic moments has transpired to only being used for the release of their sexual needs. 

“This is the first time I have seen you in weeks.” She sits on the bed as if she’s sitting on her throne. 

“Where have you been? Your thinking tree? You can’t lie, I checked and you weren’t there. So, where have you been because I have been doing your work for you? I’ve taken care of the boys, doing rounds around the island to check for its safety - keeping Hook and his pirates in line (and killing ones that weren’t), recruited more boys brought by your shadow, and given orders from dawn till dusk. Twice as much work without you.” 

Finally, she looks up at him and before she can even get any more words out, her eyes stop at the spot between his neck and jawline where there are a few bruises. Bruises that aren’t of the queen’s creation. Her eyes start to burn and her throat starts to close up as she stares at him in shock. Shock at the realization that he hasn’t been standing at her side and fulfilling his role as king….because he was with her. 

She closes my eyes and takes a deep breath. “Get out.” Hearing his footsteps do the opposite, both of her hands curl up into fists before she points to the door. “Get out!” She repeats herself. He does.

Truly, she didn’t know how to feel or act at the moment: Does she question if she did something wrong to make him do this? Does she find a way to make him understand that what he did was wrong? Or does she make him feel the pain and embarrassment that she does?

A while later, the door bursts open as she sits against the bed with tears streaming down her face. She refuses to look until she hears her name being called. “Artemis!” 

Her eyes fly open when she feels two pairs of small arms wrap around her neck. She looks down and sees my youngest boys, the twins. With Tinker Bell, of course. “Greetings, my loves. Hello, Tink.” The twins sit down beside her on the floor and curl into her on either side. She wraps both arms around them and pulls her sons closer. She fails in kissing their foreheads because more tears manage to escape and cascade down on them. The twins frown up at their mother. “What’s wrong, Arty?”

She wipes away her tears. “It’s nothing, I’ll be fine,” She lies. Tink sits upon her shoulder and pats it knowing so.

“Are you upset because Peter’s sleeping outside?” the other twin asks me innocently. Artemis frowns at his question. Gods, she thinks. She doesn’t even know why she’s upset. She doesn’t love him….but, she still trusted him. She trusted him to never let anything come before his role as the King of Neverland (he tried but he wasn’t truly ever good at being a father). Artemis still saw him as a trusted ally, even if they did have their issues - and he betrayed her. No, they both did and that’s why she is crying - because of the betrayal.

“My love, he is sleeping outside because he’s acting like a bad dog. What I mean is when you act like a bad dog, you get treated like a bad dog.” Tink nods in agreement.

“Oh...does that mean we can sleep in here with you again tonight?” This time, she manages a kiss on both of her sons’ foreheads and began to tickle them.

“Of course you can,” she says over their cries of laughter. Though, that didn’t stop the storm that night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> leave a kudos/comment if you enjoyed the story. ~ Ravtemis1121


	4. Oh, how sweet!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING PETER PAN RELATED, ONLY OCs AND THE STORY! enjoy the story! :) ~ Ravtemis1121

The next morning it continued to rain but Artemis managed to block Tiger Lily’s blow through her blurred vision and aimed to punch her in the face. But, the princess - turned general - swerved out of the way in time. She thrust muddy sand at Artemis before going to grab her fallen spear. The queen swirled to miss the attack at her face, crouched down in the wet sand, and kicked at Tiger Lily’s ankle making her fall. Like a feline, she quickly rose again. Artemis unsheathed the double-edged swords strapped to her back and they kept fighting. Kept practicing - clashing spear with swords and throwing punches and kicks at each other in the sand. After a few moments passed, the general had the Queen of Neverland in a chokehold with her spear while the queen had both of her swords pointed at Tiger Lily’s throat and upper thigh. “You’re holding back, today. Why, Artemis? Did Pan not come back yet?”

Artemis breathed heavily through her nose. “He never left.” 

She let her go and turned her around to face her. The appalling look on her face almost made Artemis cry even more again. “What? Artemis...” Tiger Lily threw her arms around me after she told her what happened last night. “If I had known, I wouldn’t have let you train this morning.”

She shook her head at the General of Neverland. “No, I needed this. Thank you, Tiger Lily.” They both sat down as the rain continued to cool their bodies down from sparring and Artemis allowed her mind to wander as the waves crashed aggressively against the shore. “He promised he’d never betray me and he never breaks his promises. But, he did. Both of them did.”

“I know you and Wendy were close but I never trusted her and the mermaids couldn’t stand her.” Artemis chuckled at Tiger Lily’s statement. It was true. The mermaids hated Wendy, they were always teasing her. Ever since being welcomed to the island, Tiger Lily always knew there was something off about Wendy. Then she just tolerated Pan to keep the peace for the sake of Neverland. “Does anyone else know?”

“Well, you and Tink are the only ones that I’ve told.” Then, Artemis went silent for a while. “...The mermaids probably knew though. You know how they love to gossip but I don’t know if anyone else has recently found out about this or knew about it beforehand.”

She noticed her friend looking off into the distance behind her so she turned around. Rufio was standing out in the opening of the jungle watching them. 

She looked down when she felt Tiger Lily softly touch her arm. “It’s only Rufio. He’s one of your boys and you and I both know whatever he has to say is important; it’s not a trick. Remember, none of the Lost Boys are like their father.”

The Second-in-Command of Neverland stood before Artemis, Tiger Lily, and Tinker Bell, who was currently in her mundane form. 

“Did you know?”

Rufio looked down in shame. “Are you asking how long it’s been going on or how long I’ve known about it?”

Deeply breathing through her nose, Artemis answered, “Both.”

“I only found out a few days ago but I suspect it started long before that.” As the queen listened to him speak, she had trouble keeping her fists unclenched at both sides. Tinker Bell pats her knuckles and Tiger Lily placed her hand on Artemis’s shoulder to give her some comfort. “I didn’t want to tell you because I was trying to protect you. I knew it would stress you out even more since you already do so much as our mother and queen. This is why you are the strongest and bravest girl, no person, I know. Which is why I look up to you. Why Tiger Lily and Tink look up to you. In Tinker Bell’s case, half the time. Literally.” The fairy blows a raspberry at his remark and they all laugh. He continues though. “It is why the others look up to you. We love you, Artemis.” 

Artemis’s oldest son gathers his mother in his arms and lets her cry out all of her emotions. Once she was done, she held his scarred face in her hands. “My precious boy, you are too good to your brothers and me.”

Rufio smiles bashfully and tells her that he brought something for her. A gift.

She stared in astonishment as he let her go and climbed back down the stairs of Tink’s treehouse to retrieve her gift. 

It was Wendy Darling. 

The Darling girl was gagged and her wrists and ankles were tied. Rufio did an excellent job. I smiled. 

Once she ungagged her and the Darling Girl promised to stay silent, the others left and the ex-friends remained in the treehouse staring at one another as the silence beckoned to be broken.

“Art-”

“Don’t call me that. You are no longer my friend. After what you’ve done, you will show me respect. You will only address me as Your Majesty.” 

Wendy gaped at Artemis until she saw the venom lurking in her eyes. “I will only address you as so, Your Majesty,” she whimpered out.

“You’ve been sleeping with my husband.” It was delivered as more of a statement than a question. 

You’re sleeping with the same person who sent your brothers away. Away from you. Off the island to who knows where. This is what Artemis wants to tell her. But she doesn’t because she knows that Wendy Darling already knows this and doesn’t care. She and Pan are just alike.

“How’d he feel? Good? Hmm, I bet he did. Not surprising. His sex tends to be mind-blowing. For you though, I guess it was that good that it made you not feel any remorse for betraying me over and over again. I know you did it more than once with him. Countless times.” The queen shook her head. “But of course, I can not only blame you. Heis also to blame. He charmed you - manipulated you. So, you fell for it. For him. Which makes you a fool as I once was. Do you think he loves you? Loves me?” She purses her lips and continues to shake her head at the girl before her. “Wendy Darling, you are empty-headed if you think so.”

She stutters. “...Why are you still here, then? W-why not leave? I-if you s-say such t-things about him, your m-majesty?”

“Because my happiness here doesn’t rely on him. I stay for my boys, Tiger Lily, Tinker Bell, my crown, and my island. For their protection. I’m not staying here for Peter, hoping he’ll change back to the person I met before - I gave up on him a long time ago. I’m staying here because this is my home. Where I am both a mother and a queen - which I am entirely grateful for. Peter and I may share the same bed but my husband doesn’t ever come before my role as a mother and queen. He’s a monster. And, I pray to whatever gods are up there that Peter somehow manages to die because neither my boys, Tinker Bell, Tiger Lily, or I deserve the shit he’s put us through. Especially now, not the pain and embarrassment you helped him cause. I say this because I can’t kill him. He is Neverland. The island won’t survive without him breathing.” She looks away from her for a moment, continuing, “Besides, Pan and I both know that I’m more powerful than he is without his shadow (and he hates that), which is why he doesn’t play fair. He keeps his shadow hidden away. As long as it comes and goes with Pan’s command, residing here, then the King of Neverland will never die. He’ll never lose control of this place or even who comes and goes. So, I won’t ever come close to winning the fight for my home and family against him.”

Wendy continued to stare at Artemis after her revelation. She stared at her with pity. “I’m sorry, your majesty.”

Artemis answered her apology with a dark bark of laughter. “No, you’re not, Wendy Darling. You’re sorry that you got caught and you’re terrified of what I’ll do to you because of it.”

Roughly, she grabbed Wendy’s face and brought it close to hers. “Quit shaking like a terrified bunny. I’m not going to kill you with the Dreamshade lying beneath my nails, or at all, for that matter. Which is why I thought I might as well tell you all this.”

The face in her gloved hand lit up with relief. 

“I’m banishing you.”

...and it washed away into terror. 

“Banishing you from camp because we both know you’ll only survive if you are lucky out there.” Then using her unoccupied hand, Artemis snapped her fingers. She was left roughly gripping air. 

Days later, she received news from Pan: “She’s dead.”

Wendy. An unknown set of voices whispered to Artemis. In her head? It didn’t matter right now. “....So soon?”

“I killed her.” She watched as he dropped the corpse before her near the previous night’s burned-out campfire. The queen’s wolves sniffed and licked at her corpse when Artemis ran over to it. It was so cold - practically frozen. “It was difficult to find her so I had to keep moving the island around to distract her before finally killing her. She was trying to steal my shadow from Dark Hollow and then trade pixie dust and Dreamshade poison with Hook so he could give her passage off the island. Can you believe her? The nerve!” 

He winked at his wife and gave her one of his devilish smiles. “But of course, I had to deal with her. You know cheaters never win.” 

Yet, you have. You always do, Artemis wanted to say to him.

He’s playing with you. He knows you and Wendy were conspiring against him, the unknown voices whispered to Artemis. Don’t let him know. Make him believe you're upset about her not suffering a painful death instead of the failed plan. Other than that, Pan thinks you’ll forgive him after everything he's done because he killed her and brought her corpse back as some trophy!

He hissed once he saw the disapproving look on her face. “What did you expect me to do?”

She gracefully stood and glared at her husband. “You've done enough! It wasn’t your decision to make! Wendy Darling’s fate was already sealed. She was supposed to suffer out there. The mermaids were going to drag her body throughout the darkness of the sea till there was nothing left!” 

Due to Pan’s actions towards Wendy, Artemis gritted her teeth and clenched her fists. Pan raised an eyebrow at her balled fists, chuckling.

“Apologies, you don’t always get what you want, your majesty,” he mocked which resulted in Artemis slapping him. The many rings she wore made his bottom lip bleed and his left cheek turned red. In return, he smirked at her. 

Irritated with him, she hits him in the chest and pushes him away in the process. Behind her, the wolves growl in sync with her actions. “Why did you do it? Why did you sleep with her? How could you sleep with her? She was my friend!” 

“Peter Pan loves games, remember? They’re my specialty and that’s all she ever was,” he taunted before leaving Artemis alone with nothing but her wolves, Wendy Darling’s corpse, and the new set of voices inside her head to keep her company. 

The same night, Artemis ran into Pan after leaving the Jolly Roger and began walking along the beach back to her and Pan’s cottage.

“Couldn’t sleep?” Pan asked her, raising an eyebrow.

“No, I decided to go for a walk. Clear my head.”

“Your footprints are coming from Hook’s ship,” he claims.

“Maybe I was only getting a drink with him. Did you ever think of that? I - Really, Peter? Yes, I am beyond pissed at you for everything you’ve done. But I would never betray you! Why can’t you trust me?”

“...I do trust you. You know I trust you.”

“But you don’t. You don’t trust anyone, you just control them!” Artemis brushes past him and walks into the jungle alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> leave a kudos/comment if you enjoyed the story. ~Ravtemis1121


	5. Battles and childish games, forgotten...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING PETER PAN RELATED, ONLY OCs, AND THE STORY! enjoy the story! :) ~ Ravtemis1121

With the chaos surrounding Pan and Artemis’s relationship, Hook used it as a great opportunity to cause even more trouble by kidnapping the twins.

“Captain Hook!” Pan taunted the one-handed pirate once the family arrived on Skull Rock. “Give us back our boys! Unless you want to lose more pirates. You’re running pretty low here.”

Before the captain could respond Artemis stepped in. “Hook, just hand them over unharmed. I promise I won’t kill any more of your men. Please.”

For a while, Hook stared at her. “Bring the boys!” He shouted. One of his men brought the twins, one in each arm. They were tied up but she could tell they were okay. “First, a trade. Then, we’ll let them go.”

“You're still after pixie dust and Dreamshade poison, aren’t you?” The queen questioned him. Rufio looked at her wearily but she ignored him. “Correct?”

“Always was the clever one, your majesty. So, if you give me what I want then I promise no tricks. Unlike your husband, I’m not fond of such games.”

“No deal,” Pan says.

“Deal,” Artemis says.

Pan, Tiger Lily, and the Lost Boys turn to her alarmingly. She disregards them all and removes the two vials attached to the string around her neck. On her way to take them to Hook, Pan stops her.

“Artemis!”

“Pan, they’re practically dying anyway. This trade-off shouldn’t matter.”

A dark expression flickered over Pan’s features. “You’re giving away my things!” He yelled.

She flies over to Hook and hands him the vials, whispering. “You better get what I told you to before you take off with your gifts.”

“Of course.” He tips his pirate at her, winking. “Now, get your boys.” He says louder for everyone else to hear. “We’re through. Forever, your majesty. And, I mean it, Pan. We’re done.” He turned around and the twins ran into their monther’s arms. But before everyone could head home, Artemis saw the look in Pan’s eyes. He had a craving. He wasn’t finished yet. He wanted to fight Captain Hook one last time.

Artemis quickly untied the twins and handed them over to Slightly. Then she grabbed Pan’s arm. “Don’t you dare. Stand your ground. We got them back - we’re all going home.”

“You may be, little wolf,” he said with a smirk. Before Pan could make another move, she tightened the hold she had on his arm. “Peter, please. I’m begging you to trust me.”

His expression softened and used his other arm to reach out to her. He caressed her cheek, settled his hand on the back of her neck then kissed her forehead. “I do, trust you. More than you know,” he whispered. 

Then, he sprang into action. 

Lying bastard, the voices whispered to Artemis.

Pan drew his sword and flew at Hook, who turned and met his attack with his hook. Artemis tells Slightly, Felix, and some other Lost Boys to take the twins and to meet up with Tinkerbell. While she, Rufio, Pan, Nibs, and Tiger Lily fought the pirates. Hell broke loose inside the cave. 

Tiger Lily and Artemis were back to back fighting Noodler and Alf Mason when they heard Pan scream: “HOOK, NO!”

The fighting stop and Artemis’s head snapped over to where Pan had screamed. She wished, gods, she wished she could erase the scene from her head. She sees Rufio pierced with Hook’s sword. Right in the heart. Her boy’s heart. “ NOOO!” A heart-wrenching scream leaves her body and she’s no longer able to fly. She drops her swords as she runs toward Rufio. 

By the time she arrives, Pan had her precious boy’s head in his lap. Immediately, she pushes him away and brings Rufio’s head into her lap instead. He’s still breathing. “Arty…..” 

The tears stream harder down her face as she speaks through trembling lips. “I’m here, my love. I’m here. I’m going to heal you and you’re going to be fine.” The wound on his chest was lined with Dreamshade poisoning. 

Pan and Hook both lied. 

Hook had Dreamshade poison from Wendy all along. He just wanted more of it including pixie dust. Maybe the poison was actually meant for Pan...but it’s too late now. She places her shaking hands over his chest but she doesn’t feel her healing magic course through his body. She doesn’t feel it working. Again, she tries and it doesn’t work. Rufio’s skin is growing paler. His hands slowly and shakily come up to cover his mothers. His hands aren’t warm anymore. He’s growing cool. He’s dying. Artemis didn’t know she could shed any more tears when she hears his last dying words, “...best..mother…could..ever…have.” 

Watching the life leave his eyes was the worst moment of Artemis’s life. She screamed and sobbed even harder when Tiger Lily gathered her into her arms. But, watched as Pan quietly and carefully picked up Rufio’s body. Like he cared. Like he felt remorse, pain, and sadness. 

They were close to leaving through the opening of the cave when Hook stopped the family. “I’m sorry,” he apologized. 

The apologies never stop, the same set of voices whispered in the queen’s head from the day she found out Wendy died. They don’t matter.

She didn’t look back as the pain of losing one of her boys granted her the power to rip out all of those pirates’ hearts. 

“You heard Hook, they were all dying anyway,” she said, vanishing from Skull Rock.

A week or so later is when Artemis’s story began to get really riveting. The whispering voices halt at the opening of the cottage door. “What?” she shouted, rubbing her temple and shutting her eyes.

Feeling a rush of air, she looks over and blinks. Her magic ceases a wooden arrow less than a foot away from the space between the tip of her nose and forehead. The Queen of Neverland rolls her eyes and knocks it to the ground as Pan walks in carrying a crossbow. “There’s the most well-behaved queen on the island,” he announces to no one but himself.

“I’m the only queen. And for whatever reason you're playing games, I’m not in the mood. Leave me alone.”

“I know what you’ve been up to, little wolf,” he circled the throne with his crossbow throne over his shoulder. “You nearly plotted with everyone on the island to have me killed.”

“Wrong, it was only your former mistress and rival,” She smirked up at him when he stopped to face her. “Plus, no one was going to kill you, only put you in a deep sleep, which you should be grateful for. You, Peter Pan, need a very long timeout.” 

Surprising him, she sprung out of her throne and meant to crash into him but Pan saw her attack coming. He moved out of her way and behind her, twisting her arm against her back. He brought her closer to him, talking into her ear as she winced in pain. “Now. C’mon, little wolf. You don’t have to be difficult. No more fighting. I’m sorry and I shouldn’t have caused all the trouble I have to you or the boys. See? I apologized. Now, there’s no need for you to be upset anymore. We can be happy again. Just like it used to be.” 

Artemis grunted in more pain before she leaned forward and drove her head back, headbutting him in the nose. Her action released her from his hold and she moved away from him. Her arm ached tremendously but it’ll heal. “Happy? One of my boys is dead and being happy with you disappeared a very, very long time ago! Do you understand what you have taken from me?”

“You have the others.” Her husband frowned and held his bleeding nose while staring daggers at her. Then he swung his crossbow over his shoulder and charged at her, aiming to kick her in the stomach but Artemis transported away from him and unsheathed her swords, appearing behind him. He turned around and she attacked like fire. Of course, the bastard met her attack with his own but she pushed harder and the edge of her swords got dangerously close to his face. He then stepped back and swept for her feet but she jumped out of the way. The fight continued like this: they would attack and dodge each other’s offenses. Finally, Pan threw Artemis’s body up against the wall but she was able to hook one of her legs around his, switching their positions. “I trusted you! You broke your promise - you betrayed me and you didn’t even try to hide it!” 

Then Artemis turned, throwing him over her shoulder which made them both tumble and roll on the floor. In the end, she landed on top with her knees holding his arms down and her double-edged swords were pointed at his heart, which was cold and soulless. The act alone had them breathing heavily. “I hate you,” she seethed at him. “And I pray to the gods every night that my boys never become like you: disgusting, cruel, and pure evil.”

He chuckled from below her. “‘My boys’? Don’t you mean ours?”

“No, because you haven’t been a decent father to them since you scarred Rufio! Oh, Rufio! Rudio died because of your greediness, selfishness, and carelessness! You will never know the pain a mother or a real parent feels from losing their child because you will always remain this: a boy. Pan, don’t you get it? It’s always been me! I’ve been the one to show them what a parent’s love truly is. Not you. Me! I wanted them to have something better than what we had, which was nothing because we had no parents. At least, I have no memory of mine and you ran away from yours. So, something better is all I have ever wanted for them! And like you said once before: they respect and adore me. They think of me as such because I give them the love and care they need and deserve.”

She stood up to let him get from under her and they were left standing, facing one another again with her swords remained pointed at his chest. An empty threat, truly. “That they do, little wolf. They always will choose you over me. Which is the most natural reason for you to go.” 

Banishment, said the voices in Artemis’s head.

She laughed at his assertiveness and asked. “You genuinely believe I’m scared of a little boy’s intimidation?” 

Pan stepped forward which caused two small tears to form on his shirt. “This is your last warning: you better leave, little wolf. It’s time.” 

Artemis smiled, copying his actions which made her swords draw blood from his chest. “A queen never runs from a challenge. In addition to being the Queen of Neverland, you can not banish me!”

“As a matter of fact, I can. Forever. I need to keep my power and control over Neverland on my own again.” Pan moved the swords from his chest and let them fall. “Oh, and I forgot to mention: I already banished Tink, as well. Well, from camp. I’ll still need her to do some tasks for me. I don’t believe in her anymore. Sorrowfully, she won’t have her wings but I’m sure she’ll find some way to accomplish the tasks I give her. She’s a good tinkerer, I’m sure she’ll make a great treasurer. As for Tiger Lily, well, I’m sure I can find something for her to do.” The two were practically nose to nose now. 

“Everyone on this island is cursed because of you!” She barked in his face. “Now, what? You plan on telling the boys I just abandoned them because I couldn’t handle any of it anymore?!”

He bent down and his lips brushed her ear as he said, “Don’t forget little wolf, I made you who you are. I was here before you. I am Neverland. I’m the myth. The legend. I’m Peter Pan. I’m the one everyone will remember hearing stories of. And you’re nothing. No one will know of your name.”

“Rufio is dead and you’ve found a way to make this about you?” She chuckles, darkly at him. “When will it ever be about anyone else other than Pan! Gods, you’re beyond incredibly selfish! And yes, some of what you said may be true. But I’m not leaving my family behind with you. You’re going to have to fight me for them.” 

“Actually, I won’t have to,” he says as green smoke grew at her feet. Artemis tried to move but couldn’t. She was stuck in place. Frozen. 

“Little wolf, you are going away. For a very long time. That’s final.” 

“I’ll miss you and I love you.” The green smoke passed her neck. “Don’t forget, Artemis. Every day you made me happy.”

A strong-willed yet tragic queen who was defiant and difficult with a good heart remembered as a good leader, had it all, and lost all of what she loved and held dear.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> leave a kudos/comment if you enjoyed the story. ~ Ravtemis1121


	6. Love? Never heard of it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING PETER PAN RELATED, ONLY OCs, AND THE STORY! enjoy the story! :) ~ Ravtemis1121

“Bloody hell!” Artemis hears before she feels something bump into her once Pan’s green smoke disappears. 

“Oi!” The same voice repeats. Under the moonlight, Artemis can tell that the source of the voice is a man with black hair and brown eyes wearing a black leather jacket closed over a white-collar shirt, black pants, boots, and a satchel. 

“Where am I?” she asks him, wearily, and hangs her head while fiddling with the clasps at the hood of her cloak. 

“Sherwood Forest...” he began to stumble away from her.

No. “Sorry?”

“The Enchanted Forest.” Her eyes widened. He turned back around to face her and continued. “Where are you from, exactly?” He eyed her outfit underneath her cloak - a white blouse, a grey vest with a black studded belt, grey pants, black boots, and gloves. “You aren’t dressed like a noble or a peasant. More so, like a bloody bandit.” 

“...I am very far from home,” she murmured. “I apologize for crashing into you, sir.” She tries to leave but he stops her. 

“Oi, you’re bleeding.” Her eyes follow to where he is pointing at a red spot on Artemis’s blouse below her collarbone. She lifts the collar of her blouse to see an injury from the fight with Pan already healed. 

“I appreciate the concern but I can take care of it myself.” 

“Well, I could offer you a bloody place to rest, then?”

She presents him with a grateful smile and nods. “Okay.” Artemis walks after his stumbling figure before he trips. When they make it to the man’s cottage, he passes out in the middle of the floor. She watches him for most of the night until her eyes start to droop. 

A tickling sensation upon Artemis’s neck awakens her from her sleep. Sneakily, she breathes slowly and continues to keep her eyes closed. Then, her arm shoots out like a viper and grabs the thief’s neck. “Bloody hell!”

“I advise you not to do that if you want to live.” 

He lets go of the vial around her neck. “What’s in it?”

“The venom in this vial is toxic. It will painfully and slowly kill you after one touch. It is also adorning my nails so be blessed that I’m wearing my gloves right now.” He drops the vial so it rests around her neck again and she lets him go. 

“How come you bloody have it, then?”

“That’s none of your concern,” Artemis said, pushing him away to leave.

“You can’t leave. At least, not with that bloody valuable information that I could spill to anyone.”

She puts her hands on her hips. “What do you recommend I do instead?”

He crossed his arms. “Work with me in thievery.”

“Suppose I accept, what shall I call you?” She asks, tilting her head to the side and cocking an eyebrow at him. 

“Knave. You, miss?”

“Milli. Short for Millicent,” she lies.

During her time in the Enchanted Forest, Artemis has learned that she’s grown two years in the last two months because she no longer has access to drinking water from the Spring of Neverland and that Pan gifted soaked her cloak in the same water. The cloak she wears now serves as a protective barrier that keeps her from dying. Artemis wonders if it means Pan still cares for her in some way. Though for some reason, he wanted her away. 

Artemis and the Knave have also begun to open up to one another during their thievery (she even told him her real name). In competition with Snow, they’re even labeled as skilled bandits. 

“Hurry up!” Artemis whispers as the chariot comes back around.

“Give me, a minute, no, two minutes! I can do it myself!”

“Right,” she deadpans, watching the Knave’s body sway above her inside the net as he carries on using his dagger to cut himself free. It partially hangs over a cliff leading into the ocean.

He can’t swim.

Growing more annoyed the more she taps her foot, as they’ve already got the jewels before Snow did, Artemis waves her hand so the two of them vanish and reappear beside Robin Hood’s tavern. 

“Oi! Bloody Hell! Artemis!” He shouts the moment they arrive.

“Better?” Artemis asks him, cheekily. The Knave of Hearts grumbles underneath his breath while leading his thieving partner inside. There, he orders them two mugs of ale. 

“I believe gratitude is still in order,” she reminds the brown-eyed Knave as they sit at the bar.

He maneuvers his entire body to face hers and as soon as their ale arrives, he takes a sip. “Alright, how would you like for me to bloody thank you for saving me from possible arrest or drowning?”

“Tell me about Anastasia.”

He sets his ale down, grinding his teeth in the process. “No.”

“I’ll disclose my heartbreak if you disclose yours.”

“Pan?” Artemis nods and he shakes his head. “Don’t believe ya.”

“Honestly, I mean it. A trade of tales ending in broken hearts if you will.”

“Fine,” her bandit-in-crime gives in, running a hand through his dark hair

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> leave a kudos/comment if you enjoyed the story. ~ Ravtemis1121


	7. During the Curse

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING PETER PAN RELATED, ONLY OCs, AND THE STORY! enjoy the story! :) ~ Ravtemis1121

Diana (Artemis) abandons the sweaty and intoxicated bodies on the dance floor that lead to her desired destination - the bar, where her friend was located. She smirks once she makes eye contact with Ruby Lucas (Red). Their eyes measured each other’s figures - whereas Ruby was dressed in a tight-fighting red dress, black heels, and a black leather jacket, Diana was dressed in black boots and a tight-fighting black dress with silver sparkles lining her cleavage. “Well, don’t you look beautiful,” Ruby complimented her over the loud music playing in the background. 

“As always,” I replied, sitting down on a stool beside her. “And so do you. Gorgeous, as always.”

She smiled at Diana’s smugness and compliment. Then she asks her, “Ready to go crash his party? All by his lonesome?” 

“Yes, but before we do.” She takes a sip of Ruby’s cosmopolitan cocktail with crushed ice. Just how she liked it. Diana moaned at the taste. “Mmm. Okay, now we can go.”

Diana grabs her hand and tugs her along as the two of them conversate on their walk to her motorcycle and head back to Diana’s place. 

The next morning, Diana awakens to the sound of talking, laughter, the slamming of the front door, and the smell of bacon coming from the kitchen. She groans and rolls off of her bed. She throws on a heavy sweater hanging up in her closet and makes her way to the kitchen. She’s not surprised to find Ruby over the stove and scrolling on her phone. The dark-haired woman smiles brightly at her and Diana returns the smile. “Good morning. Did he just leave?”

She cocked her hip against the kitchen counter. “Yep. He said he had to leave early and go somewhere.” 

“Mhm. It better be looking for a job.” Diana grabs her plate of breakfast.

“Hopefully...Now, hurry up! Your first class starts in an hour!”

“Yeah, and then I have my shift at Mr. Gold’s pawnshop. I know.”

~*~*~

Diana closed and locked the door to Mr. Gold’s pawnshop and made her way to the sheriff’s station on her motorcycle. Once she made it there, newcomer, Emma Swan, and Sheriff Graham waved at her and went back inside the station. Who came out next? Ruby and Diana’s dear troublemaking friend, Will.

Diana glared at him while handing him an extra helmet. “Seriously? For one day, you couldn’t stop stealing? You were supposed to be getting a job today!”

“Stealing is my job!” he retorted.

She throws the keys down on their kitchen counter. “Will, Mr. Gold is generous enough to allow us to live here for free. The least you could do is not snoop and commit theft in the town he owns every part of.”

Will opened his mouth to respond but they both turned at the sound of their bathroom door opening. “Oh, good! You guys are back!” says Ruby happily.

“Ruby! It’s the afternoon! You should be at Granny’s Diner by now!”

“I know, I know! I was just leaving. Thanks, for letting me stay the night again after going out.” She kisses both of her friend’s cheeks and leaves without another word. 

Diana finds herself glaring at Will again. “I’m going to email my sociology professor a sincere apology for why I missed class again.”

A few weeks have passed, and Will decided to bring Diana to Grany’s Diner because he thinks it’ll ‘help you stop stressing over finals’. 

“Welcome to Granny’s Diner. I’m Ruby and I’ll be serving you today. Can I start you off with something to drink?” 

Ruby glances up from her notepad. She then glimpses from Diana to Will and back again. “What’s wrong with her?” 

Their friend plays with the napkins lying on the table. “Nothing.” Diana looks over at Will. “Can we go back home? I need to continue studying.” 

“You’ve studied enough!”

She raised her eyebrows at that statement.

“We’ll have one chocolate shake and one strawberry shake. Oi! Your shift’s almost over isn’t it?”

“I’ll be done by the time your shakes are ready.”

Will shoots Ruby a smile. “Great. We’ll meet you outside.”

“Where are we going?” Diana asks once Ruby’s shift was over and they are all walking away from the diner.

“The park,” Will answers her.

“Can we take a longer way instead?” 

He and Ruby glance at her suspiciously but don’t question her as he follows her request. 

“So, what’s on your mind?” Will asks.

“School has just been stressful. It’s been really hard finding an internship, too.”

“Hey, I don’t think Mary Margaret would mind offering you an internship underneath her,” Ruby mentions. “She’s already taking a liking to you. I told her that you want to work in children’s social work & own an orphanage in the future.”

“Thanks, Ruby.”

“No problem. I have a question for the both of you.”

“Shoot,” says Will.

“Have either of you been having any weird dreams?” Will and Diana shake their heads back and forth at Ruby. “Why? Ruby, are you alright? Are you having night terrors?”

“No, they’re just weird. Like memories from a past life.”

Diana frowns. “Weird. Have you journaled them? They may become clearer then.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> leave a kudos/comment if you enjoyed the story. ~ Ravtemis1121


	8. The Aftermath

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING PETER PAN RELATED, ONLY OCs, AND THE STORY! enjoy the story! :) ~ Ravtemis1121

“ARTEMIS!” She wakes to Will screaming her name and she runs out of her bedroom to find him in the kitchen. However, the lights were still off so she can only see his dark figure standing there.

“What is it?”

“Walk over here very quietly and slowly,” he whispers and she does as he says. When she reached him, all she can see before them is a shadow that begins to form before their eyes. Said shadow began to form into an actual cosmic creature. A wolf. An enormous black wolf. 

The roommates cry out, backing away. 

“Is that a damn wolf in our kitchen?” Artemis hisses at him.

“Apparently.” Will nods.

The dark wolf growls at them and stalks closer before sitting itself on their tile floor and whimpers. Quickly, Artemis goes to a pile of Red’s things and finds her red cloak. She gently lays it upon the wolf and Will says exasperatedly, “Bloody hell! You’re taming it?”

The wolf transforms and Red stands with her red cloak. “She’s not taming me.”

Artemis wakes with a start again that night, throwing her stuffed wolves to the side in the process. Sweat drips down her forehead and she begins to gasp for air. She couldn’t breathe. So focused on her inability to breathe, she didn’t realize that Red and Will had charged into her room. Will cupped her delirious face in his hands. “Hey. Hey. Look at me,” he urged softly as Artemis’s terror-filled eyes kept darting everywhere around the room. “It’s okay, Arty. Just look at me and Red until it goes away.”

“I shouldn’t exist,” she whispered. “I thought I knew what I was doing but I-I messed. That’s why he sent me away and - ”

“Artemis, what are you talking about? You did nothing wrong. Everything’s fine. You were just sleeping and had a nightmare, okay? You’re alright. Everything’s fine,” Red tells Artemis, trying to assure her.

Artemis finally locks eyes with theirs and then looks away from them. “I’m going to take a bath,” she states.

“Um, yeah. Of course.” After helping her to the bathroom and running the water for her bath, they leave her alone. “I’ll get you a change of clothes,” Red added.

“No,” Artemis said, too urgently.

Red and Will stopped. “No?”

“I mean, I’ll let you know when I’m done.”

Artemis sat in the warm water, playing with the water to calm her nerves but it didn’t work because she couldn’t stop thinking of her memories of Neverland. Of Peter Pan, the Lost Boys, Tinker Bell, Tiger Lily, the Darling Children, the joy, the pain, the torture. All of it came in flashes.

When she’d had enough thinking, she got up and wrapped a towel around herself. Looking at her reflection in the mirror, she hated what she saw. You are a horrible person. You don’t deserve a happy ending. Artemis punched the mirror making it crack and its glass shards fall into the sink and the floor. The door opened and her friends came rushing into the bathroom. “Are you okay?” 

“I’m fine,” she murmured, picking up a shard from the mess she created. 

“Drop the glass.”

“....No.”

“Artemis,” Will says, in that stubborn tone that tells her he’s not going to take no for an answer. “Drop the glass. Please.”

She obeys, letting the shards of the glass she held fall back into the sink. Her hands clench into fists around the sink and her chin drops to her chest. The tears build behind her eyes when her friends wrap their arms around her. Always so gentle with me. Something I haven’t experienced in a long time. With so many emotions flowing through her body, she just cries. Sobs wreck throughout the apartment. Artemis pulls away. “I’m just so tired.”

Will kisses her temple and lets her go. “That’s…..understandable. Red, get her ready for sleep, I’ll clean this up.” 

Two days later, Artemis finds Regina. “Regina, you took them before! You can do it again! Please!” She sobs to Regina.

“Oi!” Will opposed, cradling Artemis to his chest. “You can’t do this! Arty, don’t you realize what this means? You can’t get your sons back if you do this!”

“It hurts! It’s too much! I - ”

“Me too! It hurts for me too, Artemis!”

“What’s the point of having these memories if I can’t do anything about them, Will?”

“Perhaps you can, lass. We need your help,” someone says from behind them. Through her blurred vision caused by her tears, Artemis peeks over Will’s shoulder to see a living Hook walks in with Emma, Mary Margaret, David, and Mr. Gold.

Artemis’s eyes widen. “You’re dead...I killed you for murdering my son. H-he brought you back, didn’t he?” Then, she seethes at him, “Why the hell would I help you?”

“Cause, Your Majesty, you’ll be helping Henry. He’s the one that needs saving.”

She retreats from Will. “And that’s why you’re volunteering to help because you know where he’s headed?”

The pirate winks at her. “I have a feeling we both do.”

She turns to Will. “Will, take us home.”

After throwing her turquoise leather jacket on the couch, she sits with her head in her hands. Will takes a seat beside her and says, “Artemis, there’s something I need to tell you...”

She locks eyes with him. “What?”

“Last night, the White Rabbit came to visit me and says I have to go help Alice save Cyrus. And, I accepted. I think you should go with the one-handed pirate and the rest of the Storybrookee crew to save Henry. You can get justice from Pan, you can save your home and family. Artemis, this is your only chance so you’ve got to take it.”

“Is that why you’re going back to Wonderland? Because it’s your only chance to see Anastasia again?”

Will’s brown eyes widened but he nodded. 

Artemis sighs defeatedly. “Don’t do anything stupid while in Wonderland, Knave of Hearts.” 

“You either, Queen of Neverland.”

“I hope either of you weren’t planning on leaving your favorite person without saying goodbye.” Red comes to stand before them and they embrace her in a group hug.

As Artemis makes her way to Hook’s docked ship, she readjusts her jacket and unfastens the sword earrings that Mr. Gold gifted her while she was restocking the shop - like the cloak, the jacket has a protective barrier as well and her earrings transform back into her double-edged swords in her hands. She sheaths them in her belt as Emma asks her, “What are you doing here?”

Artemis readjusts the vial necklaces around her neck and walks aboard the Jolly Roger. “Helping. I suspect Henry’s been taken to Neverland. Mr. Gold can prove me right or wrong if he likes.”

The Charmings, Regina, Hook, and Emma watch expectantly as Mr. Gold pricks his finger on the tip of the globe's axis and presses his blood to the white surface. Soon, his blood spreads like a cloud through the globe and a red map appears upon it. Regina looks at it and asks where it is and where they took Henry as Emma and the Charmings wait for Hook to tell them: "Neverland..."

Artemis smiles, satisfied when proven right & they soon set sail. 

“Why’d you change your mind?” Mary Margaret asks as she comes up behind her.

“I’m shocked. You should know my story from Henry's book - I’m the former Queen of Neverland and I’m taking back my family and home from the damaging clutches of Peter Pan.” 

“How come neither you and Pan’s story isn’t in the book? Shouldn’t you be a kid?” Emma butts in.

Artemis smirks at Emma and Mary Margaret. “It is going to be fun getting to know each other.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> leave a kudos/comment if you enjoyed the story. ~ Ravtemis1121

**Author's Note:**

> leave a kudos/comment if you enjoyed the story. ~ Ravtemis1121


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